CHICKEN & BLACK BEAN CRISPY TACOS

A crispy shell with hot, juicy chicken and bean filling.

Yes, another taco recipe! But we do eat a lot of tacos in our house. This is a chicken and black bean version done in the same style as the regular bean tacos. The chicken cooks right inside the tortilla.

Basic steps:  Soft fry the corn tortillas, smear with a mixture of ground chicken, shredded cheddar and black beans. Pinch together and re-fry until brown and crispy.

Chicken and Black Bean Tacos

2 dozen corn tortillas (I prefer white corn ones, my go-to is mission, as they do not soak up the oil too much)
wesson vegetable oil
1/2 lb. ground chicken
1/2 can of drained and rinsed black beans
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt and garlic powder

Garnishes of your choice, lettuce, tomatoes, more grated cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc.

First mix the chicken, black beans, cheese and salt/garlic powder. You want to evenly distribute the ingredients without making it too soft.

In a good sized skillet, heat enough wesson oil to cover the bottom of the pan by about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. You should get it to about 375 degrees (I only say this because I did it in an electric skillet to see how hot it should be).

Set up a draining rack with paper toweling for the tortillas, and once the oil is hot, pass each tortilla through the hot oil, for about ten seconds or so, turning once, and drain. The oil should be sizzly but not popping or smoking, the tortilla should puff and bubble up some and stiffen a little, not be limp and oily.) Keep the tortillas flat and drain/blot all and move on to the next step. (Take the oil off the heat between steps.)

A thin layer of raw chicken, cheddar and black beans cook completely during the second fry.

Spread some chicken mixture thinly on one side of a cooked tortilla. You should put no more than 2 Tbl. of meat mixture in each one. Fold over and press shut, avoid any loose chicken/beans around the edges. You want it spread thinly inside so it can cook completely during the second frying.

Make sure the meat filling is evenly spread, and thin.

Fill all tortillas before starting the second fry, unless you have a minion or two to fill while you cook.

Once all the tacos are filled, line your draining rack with more paper towels, and heat the oil back to about 375 degrees. You may need to add a little to keep the level up. Fry the tacos, letting the oil sizzle around them, crisp them up, but not too browned. Turn over to cook the second side.

 

You want little blisters on the surface, some browning, some crisping, especially around the curved edge.   You should be able to open the tacos to add stuff without it splitting in half. Because this started as raw filling, I always check the doneness of each taco as I take them out. I just open them up a little, and poke into the meat to make sure its not pink anymore.

Stuff with whatever fillings you want and enjoy!